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Q&A for How to Raise Pigs
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QuestionWhat kind of food should I give my piglets?Alexandra Doss is a Poultry & Livestock Expert expert based in Ruskin, Florida. She owns and manages Stellar Game Birds, Poultry, Waterfowl LLC, a selective breeding operation with game birds, poultry, and waterfowl. With over 14 years of experience, she produces strong genetics and health in her hatching eggs, eating eggs, and live birds. The farm is FWC game farm licensed, FDAC licensed for quail, chicken, and duck eating eggs and meat, and NPIP certified. She is known as the Quail Lady and has published several books on raising Coturnix. Her work has been featured in Mother Earth News, Backyard Poultry, Grit, The Chicken Whisperer Magazine, and Community Chickens. She also has a career as a Workforce Management Supervisor and has a certificate in project ​​management. She received a BS from Oregon State in Animal Sciences.I recommend starting them on mash mixed with water so it's easy to digest. Fruit and vegetables are great supplements in addition to the mash, so they have more consistent growth.
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QuestionIf raising a pet pig, does it have to be penned? Will it stay home?Jayden AroutiouianCommunity AnswerIt does, but if it is in your home then maybe have a little cage for it. If your pig will be staying outside then definitely keep it in a pen or gated area.
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QuestionCan you make your own pig feed? If so, how do you do it?Community AnswerYou can make your own pig feed. However, be aware that with the price of grain being high, it's probably cheaper to buy it. That said, you can mix feeds. Mix 12% all stock sweet feed and crimped oats. Pour the bag of sweet feed into the grain bin and mix in 1/2 bag of the oats. The local market is a good place to ask them to save boxes of lettuce, veggies and fruit for you, so at least once a week the pigs get salad. A note regarding lettuce––iceberg lettuce has a high salt content when compared to other types of lettuce and older pigs fare better with romaine and other types of lettuce.
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QuestionHow big does the pigs' trough have to be?Community AnswerIt depends on the size of your pigs. For example, two 60-pound pigs will need a 5-gallon trough. Keep in mind that as your pigs get bigger, they will drink more water, and that the trough need to be full everyday. Also, make sure that the pigs' necks can reach over the trough.
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QuestionWhat is the age/weight relationship of a well fed pig?Community Answer8 Weeks - 40 Pounds 2 Pounds of 17-18% protein 12 Weeks - 75 Pounds 2-3 Pounds of 15% protein 16 Weeks - 125 Pounds 4-5 Pounds of 0% protein
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QuestionDoes a male pig need to be castrated when being raised for meat?Community AnswerMost farmers prefer to castrate the male when he is going to he used for meat. Doing so takes the unwanted musk smell away when cooking the pig.
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QuestionHow will the piglet feed if removed from the mother?Community AnswerYou can feed a small piglet with a baby bottle filled with milk. For a little bigger piglet, you can soak adult pig food in water until it becomes mush.
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QuestionCan I keep just one pig or will it need company?Community AnswerYou can keep just one pig, but it really would be better to get two or more. Otherwise they might get bored and become destructive.
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QuestionWhat vitamins do I need to give my pigs, if any?Community AnswerIf your pigs are looking unhealthy, schedule a visit with your veterinarian. He or she can prescribe supplements to combat any issues your pigs are having with nutrition. He or she may also suggest a new diet instead.
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QuestionHow do I care for a newborn pig?Community AnswerOnce the pig is born, you should keep it with the sow in a farrowing pen indoors.
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QuestionThe pig market is not encouraging where I am. How possible is it for a farmer to take his pigs to another country to get more money?Community AnswerFirst, you have to find out the conditions for doing so in your country. Then, you will also have to find out the conditions you'd need to meet in the countries you will be exporting to. If there any outbreaks like swine fever in your country, you will not be allowed to take your pigs out. You also need to keep documentation of things like medicines and dewormers.
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QuestionWill piglets eat other food as they nurse?Community AnswerYes. It also helps them wean off the sow if you keep a small feeder in the pen where the sow can't get it. Fill it with whatever you will be feeding them after you wean them, and it will help the transition into the straight feed.
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QuestionCan I keep a pig inside for most of its life?Community AnswerNo -- that would be cruel. A pig, like many animals, needs fresh air and space to roam.
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QuestionHow do I safely separate a piglet from the mother pig?Community AnswerYou should ask a vet to assist you, as they are professionals and can do this without causing harm or injuries to people or the pigs.
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QuestionHow many times per day should I feed the pigs?Jayden AroutiouianCommunity AnswerUsually two or three times a day.
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QuestionAre there any dangerous diseases that pigs can get?Jayden AroutiouianCommunity AnswerYes, there are many dangerous diseases that pigs can get. Do research on your pig, and if you think that your pig might have a disease, then take it to the vet.
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QuestionCan pigs eat oatmeal?Community AnswerYes, they can.
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QuestionWhich kind of feeds do local pigs in Uganda need?Community AnswerLeftover food, some homemade feed or feed from the local dealers, and pastures.
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QuestionIf a pig is living in moist soil with rotten food and no dry place at all, will the pig get sick?Community AnswerYes, all animals need a dry clean bed and healthy food to keep in the best of health. Moist soil is fine provided there is also access to dry soil or a dry pen full of hay. No animal likes or thrives on rotten food, and will eventually become unwell with gut issues as expected.
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QuestionWhat do I feed pigs to fatten them up?Community AnswerThe best thing to feed them is milk, but that isn't always cost effective (unless you have access to a dairy farm). I have found that in addition to hog grower (ground corn), supplementing day-old bread into their diets resulted in very noticeable gains.
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QuestionWhat can I do to enable my pigs to produce many piglets?Community AnswerYou would just have to breed them to produce piglets.
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QuestionHow many piglets will a pig give birth to?Community AnswerNormally a new sow will have 3 - 7, but by its second or third litter it should have 7 - 14.
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QuestionHow do I take care of a pig in my backyard?Community AnswerIt depends on how much land you have. More land is typically easier, you may need to feed it more if your pig has a small living area. If you have a small property, you may want to change living sites every once in a while, to minimize smells. A pig needs fresh water no matter the size of its living quarters. Mud pits are not necessary but recommended; you might want to hose down your pig if you don't have one.
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QuestionCan pigs eat cassava leaves?Community AnswerPigs should not eat cassava leaves. They are not good for them and will make them sick.
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QuestionHow do I castrate the male piglets? When can I do that?Community AnswerTo castrate the male piglets get your vet to preform the procedure. There are online instructions on how to you it yourself but it is a lot more of a complex procedure than what it looks like. Doing it wrong, which is easy to do, could result in your pig's death. Its best to castrate your pig early or as soon as your vet gives you the okay.
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QuestionHow much acreage is needed to raise pigs?Community AnswerRotate 15-20 piglets in three 1/3 acres. They will need 500 additional feed each reach 280 lbs.
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QuestionWhat can pigs to eat to gain weight and get fat?Community AnswerYou don’t want your pig fat or it may have problems.Keep it at a healthy weight by feeding it the right food in right portions. Check with a vet for advice
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